OTB continues to invest in the creativity of the future: the Group renewed the partnership with “International Talent Support” (ITS) Contest to support a new generation of fashion talents

Breganze (Vicenza) - Trieste, 20 March 2026 – OTB, the international fashion and luxury group that controls the brands Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor&Rolf, as well as the companies Staff International and Brave Kid, and holds a stake in the Amiri brand, has renewed its support for the ITS Contest 2026. Founded in 2002, the initiative has since discovered and championed some of the most influential designers on the global fashion scene.

Supporting emerging talent and fostering creativity have always been central to the DNA of OTB and of its Chairman and founder Renzo Rosso, who has backed the project since its origins. For more than twenty years, ITS has stood as a key reference point for emerging global creativity, providing young designers from across the globe with a platform for visibility and professional development.

“Rise and shine” is the concept behind the 2026 edition of the award, an invitation to young creatives to step forward and respond with awareness, courage and imagination to the challenges and uncertainties that define the present moment.

“Creativity is the driving force of this industry and the tool we hold to shape its future. Young designers must bring forward new ideas and the courage to break rules, placing sustainability at the centre, a value that comes naturally to them. For many years, ITS has represented an important platform for those who demonstrate a distinctive vision and have something new to say. I wish the winners of this edition the opportunity to invest in their talent and celebrate what makes them stand out, turning it into something truly unique and recognisable. This is how fashion continues to evolve,” said Renzo Rosso, Chairman and founder of OTB Group.

As main partner of the ITS Contest 2026, OTB offered the ten finalists a dedicated mentoring and coaching programme focused on the most relevant sustainability topics for the fashion sector, while also sharing the pillars of OTB’s sustainability strategy “Be Responsible. Be Brave.”.  The programme, which took place during the ITS residency, was led by OTB Sustainability Ambassador Andrea Rosso.

Participants also had the opportunity to visit OTB’s headquarters, with particular attention given to the spaces dedicated to tailoring and to the Diesel historical archive, which houses more than 80,000 garments from collections and research dating from 1978 to the present day. 

Through this renewed partnership with ITS, OTB reaffirms its concrete commitment to supporting the evolution of the fashion industry, promoting a vision centred on creativity, innovation, responsibility and the development of new generations.